Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Discuss questions around local unit policies for budgeting, reconciling, etc. This forum should not contain specific financial or membership information.
richardgibson
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:21 pm

Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by richardgibson »

I have a long time returned home missionary that still shows up under the Ward Missionary Fund. This person is no longer a member of our ward and is long since married. She still shows up as a missionary so some of my members continue to contribute in her name on the online donation system.

How do I remove her as a missionary and account to be donated to?
eblood66
Senior Member
Posts: 3975
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:17 am
Location: Cumming, GA, USA

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by eblood66 »

You need to transfer all the funds in the category to the top level Ward Missionary Fund so that the sub-category is zero. Then you have to make sure it stays 0 for a month or two and then it will automatically be removed.
User avatar
Biggles
Senior Member
Posts: 1662
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 5:14 am
Location: Watford, England

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by Biggles »

eblood66 wrote:You need to transfer all the funds in the category to the top level Ward Missionary Fund so that the sub-category is zero. Then you have to make sure it stays 0 for a month or two and then it will automatically be removed.
If the above isn’t possible, because members still continue to donate, I would suggest contacting GSC and explain the situation. They should be able to suppress the former missionary’s name.
DAVIDGMETZGER
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:25 am

Negative missionary account balance

Post by DAVIDGMETZGER »

How do I handle a negative balance in a missionary's account after returning home?
jdlessley
Community Moderators
Posts: 10644
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:30 am
Location: USA, TX

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by jdlessley »

Let your bishop know. He can work with the missionary and/or family about meeting the funding obligation. Technically the ward is responsible for funding the missionary. With that in mind, the bishop may ask you to transfer funds from the Ward Missionary Fund into that sub-account to bring the balance to zero. But don't take any actions to transfer funds until the bishop instructs you to do so.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
davesudweeks
Senior Member
Posts: 2779
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 9:16 pm
Location: Washington, USA

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by davesudweeks »

Biggles wrote:
eblood66 wrote:You need to transfer all the funds in the category to the top level Ward Missionary Fund so that the sub-category is zero. Then you have to make sure it stays 0 for a month or two and then it will automatically be removed.
If the above isn’t possible, because members still continue to donate, I would suggest contacting GSC and explain the situation. They should be able to suppress the former missionary’s name.
If there aren't very many still donating, the bishop or branch president could counsel with them individually and ask them to donate to another missionary whose account needs the funds or to the ward fund in general to be used wherever they are needed.
johnadamsroach
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:14 pm

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by johnadamsroach »

I have a similar problem, but it's not a negative balance, but a positive one. So can the money be returned somehow? I thought once donated it cannot be returned. So I now have these as "Action Items" with no explanation of what action to take.
rmrichesjr
Community Moderators
Posts: 4387
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:32 am
Location: Dundee, Oregon, USA

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by rmrichesjr »

If I'm reading correctly, handbook 24.3.4.1 says that funds donated in advance cannot be refunded to the donor.
lajackson
Community Moderators
Posts: 11832
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: US

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by lajackson »

The donation cannot be returned. The most common use of excess funds is for another missionary in the ward who is serving or will soon be serving.
User avatar
Biggles
Senior Member
Posts: 1662
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 5:14 am
Location: Watford, England

Re: Return Missionary Still Shows Up Under Ward Mission Fund

Post by Biggles »

As previously mentioned the donations can’t be returned. The best course of action to zero out the positive balance would be to transfer the money into the main Ward Missionary fund, as this fund can be used to assist any missionary in the ward!

Return to “Local Unit Finance”